On Friday, County Manager George Burgess finally fired Wackenhut Corporation, the security firm who, according to a county audit, has been overcharging tax payers millions of dollars for work that was never done. “Ghost posts” and “phantom billing” were just a few of the ways Wackenhut made sure they got every cent of a $104 million contract signed with the county in 1989.

The fraudulent practices weren’t discovered until an NBC6 investigation in 2007 revealed security guards were being paid for hours they didn’t work at the Metrorail, Metromover and the Juvenile Assessment Center.

The widespread fraud has allegedly cost tax payers between $17.5 million and $27 million. A lawsuit currently winding through the courts alleges Wackenhut essentially stole more than $35 million over the past seven years alone. Of course, Wackenhut officials deny any wrongdoing and blame the countless examples of employees being paid despite not working on – you guessed it – the employees